Manners of Standing and Sitting Positions in Salah (prayer)

إِذَا قُمْتَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَلَا تُلْصِقْ قَدَمَكَ بِالْأُخْرَى دَعْ بَيْنَهُمَا فَصْلًا إِصْبَعاً أَقَلُّ ذَلِكَ إِلَى شِبْرٍ أَكْثَرُهُ وَ اسْدُلْ مَنْكِبَيْكَ وَ أَرْسِلْ يَدَيْكَ وَ لَا تُشَبِّكْ أَصَابِعَكَ وَ لْتَكُونَا عَلَى فَخِذَيْكَ قُبَالَةَ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَ لْيَكُنْ نَظَرُكَ إِلَى مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِكَ فَإِذَا رَكَعْتَ فَصُفَّ فِي رُكُوعِكَ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْكَ تَجْعَلُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَدْرَ شِبْرٍ وَ تُمَكِّنُ رَ

1. Ali has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn Isma’il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you stand up for Salah (prayer) do n

إِذَا قَامَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ جَمَعَتْ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْهَا وَ لَا تُفَرِّجُ بَيْنَهُمَا وَ تَضُمُّ يَدَيْهَا إِلَى صَدْرِهَا لِمَكَانِ ثَدْيَيْهَا فَإِذَا رَكَعَتْ وَضَعَتْ يَدَيْهَا فَوْقَ رُكْبَتَيْهَا عَلَى فَخِذَيْهَا لِئَلَّا تُطَأْطِئَ‌[2] كَثِيراً فَتَرْتَفِعَ عَجِيزَتُهَا فَإِذَا جَلَسَتْ فَعَلَى أَلْيَتَيْهَا لَيْسَ كَمَا يَقْعُدُ الرَّجُلُ وَ إِذَا سَقَطَتْ لِلسُّجُودِ بَدَأَتْ بِالْقُعُودِ بِالرّ

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘When a woman stands up for Salah (prayer) she should place her feet close to each other and should not keep them apart from each other. She should keep her hands over her chest over her breast. In Ruku‘ position she should place her hands above her knees on her thighs so as not to bend

لَا تُقْعِ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ إِقْعَاءً.

‘You must not sit, between the two sajdah, placing your hips on your heels.’”

إِذَا سَجَدَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ بَسَطَتْ ذِرَاعَيْهَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When a woman performs Sajdah (prostration) she must stretch her arms.’”

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع إِذَا هَوَى سَاجِداً انْكَبَّ وَ هُوَ يُكَبِّرُ.

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), while bowing down for Sajdah (prostration) would say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description).”’ (Ahadith 4-5 are best be explained by fatwa.)

إِذَا سَجَدَ الرَّجُلُ ثُمَّ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْهَضَ فَلَا يَعْجِنُ بِيَدَيْهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ لَكِنْ يَبْسُطُ كَفَّيْهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَضَعَ مَقْعَدَتَهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ.

‘When one is in prostration position and wants to stand up, he should not make his hand into a fist placed on the ground, instead he should open his palms without placing his posteriors on the ground.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ‌[3] عَنْ جُلُوسِ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ قَالَ تَضُمُّ فَخِذَيْهَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about woman when sitting during Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘She keeps her thighs together.’”

الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا سَجَدَتْ تَضَمَّمَتْ وَ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا سَجَدَ تَفَتَّحَ.

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said that woman when performing Sajdah (prostration) should not spread herself and man should spread himself on the ground.’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ‌ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ قَالَ النَّحْرُ الِاعْتِدَالُ فِي الْقِيَامِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ صُلْبَهُ وَ نَحْرَهُ وَ قَالَ لَا تُكَفِّرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ الْمَجُوسُ وَ لَا تَلَثَّمْ وَ لَا تَحْتَفِزْ[1] وَ لَا تُقْعِ عَلَى قَدَمَيْكَ وَ لَا تَفْتَرِشْ ذِرَاعَيْكَ.

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) for the sake of your Lord and offer sacrifice. . . .’(108:2) He (the Imam) said, ‘Offering sacrifice’ is a reference to standing in a level posture by keeping one’s back and neck level.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not place your hand